Table 1.
Demographics and key characteristics at baseline by group (N=49).
| Characteristics | Experimental group | Control group | |
| Caregivers’ characteristics, n | 25 | 24 | |
|
|
Caregiver age (years), mean (SD) | 64.2 (10.3) | 59.0 (12.4) |
|
|
Female caregiver, n (%) | 16 (64) | 16 (67) |
|
|
Children of PWAD,b n (%) | 16 (64) | 13 (54) |
|
|
High level of education, n (%) | 19 (76) | 18 (75) |
|
|
Middle level of education, n (%) | 6 (24) | 3 (12) |
|
|
Living with the PWAD, n (%) | 12 (48) | 10 (41) |
|
|
Visiting the PWAD daily, n (%) | 4 (16) | 2 (8) |
|
|
Visiting the PWAD at least once per week, n (%) | 9 (36) | 9 (38) |
|
|
Psychological/ psychiatric treatment, n (%) | 3 (12) | 2 (8) |
|
|
Psychotropic treatment, n (%) | 6 (24) | 7 (29) |
|
|
Caregivers with at least another source of stress different to caregiving (eg, work, relationship, family), n (%) | 18 (72) | 14 (56) |
|
|
Caregivers with ≥1 professional help,c n (%) | 18 (72) | 18 (75) |
|
|
Weekly hours of professional help,d mean (SD) | 26.7 (28.7) | 8.2 (9.7) |
|
|
Suffering from a chronic pathology, n (%) | 9 (36) | 8 (33) |
| Patients’ characteristics, n | 25 | 24 | |
|
|
Onset of symptoms (years), mean (SD), range | 4.62 (3.53), 0.55-14.05 | 4.11 (3), 0.39-12.03 |
|
|
MMSE, mean (SD) | 18.5 (5.4) | 19.0 (4.6) |
|
|
IADL scale, mean (SD) | 0.6 (0.8) | 1.1 (1.1) |
a IADL: Instrumental Activities of Daily Living; MMSE: Mini-Mental State Examination; PWAD: persons with Alzheimer’s disease.
b Two participants were not children or spouses (1 daughter-in-law and 1 friend).
c Professional help=housekeeper, nurse, day care, meal delivery.
d Among caregivers receiving respite help.